Photoshop Errors: How to Fix Brush Lag

So you're trying to paint in Photoshop, but each stroke takes about a minute to load. And if this problem keeps up, there's no way you can see an end to the project you're working on.

There are many things that can slow down your work in Photoshop. One of them is brush lag. Brush lag makes it incredibly difficult to draw or paint, because the Brush Tool isn't matching the speed at which you're trying to draw each stroke.

So how do you solve this problem? Let's take a look at these quick solutions.

Solution #1: Manage Your File Size

No matter how much you think Photoshop can or should take, eventually it will slow down. And often, larger files equal a slower performance. Here are a couple of things you can do to make sure that the file size doesn't create brush lag:

Merge multiple layers together, or flatten often.

Reduce/start with a lower document resolution.

Consider saving your project over multiple .psd files.

Solution #2: Use Less Hardware Acceleration

If you're having problems with the performance of Photoshop, you can, of course, adjust the performance to the needs of your workflow. To do this:

Go to Edit > Preferences > Performance.

Under Graphics Processor Settings, go to Advanced Settings.

Change the Drawing Mode to Basic.

Restart Photoshop to allow changes to be applied.

Know Any Solutions?

Don't let this common frustration get to you. Try out these simple solutions and get back to your designs as soon as possible.

Have you ever experienced brush lag, and tried something else that worked? Let us know in the comments below!